St. Leonard's, Butleigh

St. Leonard's, Butleigh For Church Room Bookings contact Marianne Gaskell 01458 850391

07/09/2026

After the drought the land is slowly recovering through quiet rain, not huge downpours. It reminded me of Portia in The Merchant of Venice – The quality of mercy is not strained, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven. Then Milton – For his mercies ay endure, ever faithful ever sure - rendering Psalm 136. We somehow think God’s mercy is confined as an idea to the New Testament where we learn - Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son. But we are mistaken. Think of Jonah. When God forgave Nineveh, Jonah complained basically saying “Typical” – “I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.” Mercy from our God is, and has always been there for us; as John – Jesus’ death was ‘not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world’.
Roy Moody

31/08/2026

Service this Sunday (6th September) is an All Age Service starting at 10.30am. All families and community are welcome.

26/08/2026

How do you react to bad news? You might be shocked or saddened, you might feel you should do something, but can't think what. Years ago, as a new believer, I learned from older, more experienced Christians that one way to do something positive was to pray for others.
Jesus told his followers to be like salt snd light in the world. To call out to God on behalf of others may seem a small thing, but if you've ever been prayed for when you're in need or despair, you'll know how moving and deep it can be. "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." says James 5:16
Next time we hear bad news, let's make prayer our first reaction. God bless.

Elspeth

St Leonard’s Church is running a series of talks over the coming year. To start us off is the Bishop Trevor Willmott. ...
19/08/2026

St Leonard’s Church is running a series of talks over the coming year. To start us off is the Bishop Trevor Willmott. Come and hear about his varied and ministry which has taken him all over the world. Click the link to purchase your tickets https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/Q7269LTV

18/08/2026

As we know from national and local media, farmers are experiencing one of the hardest times they have ever known. The unprecedented number of heatwaves and persistent drought have hit every farmer in Somerset. On top of this, the virulent disease Bluetongue is now rife across Somerset, meaning every cattle and sheep farmer is on high alert. One of the comments I heard this past week captures the strain which many farmers are facing
“We survived the drought of 1976 but this seems worse. It’s totally disheartening after all the hard work and trying to farm in a sustainable and good way”.
As a society we’ve increasingly lost the connection between the food we eat and its source. But as recent report clearly showed, if for whatever reason our imported food supplies on which many of now rely were to be cut off, we would no longer be able to feed ourselves from our own home-produced sources. It’s a picture which many of us would prefer not to have to face, but changing weather patterns and the likelihood of increasing periods of drought, surely demand that we face the challenge now. Better inform ourselves and wherever we can buy local even if that means paying a little more.
If its helpful, here’s a prayer I offered in our Cathedral on Sunday for our farming communities.
Loving Father God,
We lift up to you all working in our farming communities.
Bless them in their endeavours, sustain them in these challenging working conditions, protect them and their animals from harm and keep them mindful of your love and care and the care of those around them. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Trevor Willmott

15/08/2026

Scatter-brained me realises that I should have written something for last Wednesday. So here I am late, but with thoughts on forgetting. It seems to get easier as we age, but for me I was quite capable of forgetting someone’s name in my thirties, even though I had known them for years. One friend made a point of noting my weakness! Faces and voices are different. Travelling was my excuse. I wondered as I saw so many varied people, and incredibly different from me Yet everyone is remembered and important to God. Jesus said, ‘Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.’ What a feeble realisation I have of God’s care!

Coffee morning tomorrow, all are welcome
07/08/2026

Coffee morning tomorrow, all are welcome

05/08/2026

Holiday rest

From time to time, we probably all need a bit of a break and some time out. As we might say after a busy period ‘I think I need a holiday.’ Life can be very busy at times, whether in work or retired, so looking after ourselves is important. And God also knows we sometimes need a bit of a rest and a break, so I’d like to share some encouraging words from the prophet Isaiah.

“Do you not know, have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.”

And then the good news – “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Is 40:28-31)
Revd Chris

Coffee morning incoming! All are very welcome to join
27/07/2026

Coffee morning incoming! All are very welcome to join

14/07/2026

At my age staying cool dominates the agenda today, and probably for the foreseeable future. What feeble creatures we are! At least I am. Perhaps Psalm 90 is appropriate; of God, “from everlasting you are God”, but of us; “our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” Gloomy stuff, but it can feel like that sitting in a darkened room, drinking lots of water. So the psalmist has a prayer, “relent, Lord”, “satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love.”
Perhaps the lesson of the pressures of this weather is, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Wouldn’t it be marvellous if this heatwave made us all wiser! It makes me get up earlier, but that’s not the same!
Roy Moody

Address

Church Path
Butleigh
BA68SH

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

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